10 Rice Recipes for the Slow Cooker

Rice in the slow cooker? Yes, indeed! That kitchen appliance best known for turning out braises and stews can deliver grains that are surprisingly fluffy and tender. And better yet, you can use your crock to simultaneously cook your meat, veg, or whatever else your recipe calls for along with the rice, which then soaks in all the juices. In many ways, the slow cooker provides all the convenience and ease of the rice cooker while allowing for the flavor benefits of the stovetop. Just press the start button on one of these nine easy rice recipes and let the heat do the work.

1. Slow Cooker Spanish Rice

Our Spanish rice recipe calls upon bell pepper, tomatoes, and spices to infuse each grain with flavor. It’s a deeply savory side that will stack up strongly against meaty mains and more. Get our Slow Cooker Spanish Rice recipe.

2. Slow Cooker Chicken Rice Casserole Recipe

Simply Recipes

Juicy chicken thighs get nestled on top of basmati in this casserole, meaning that as it cooks, the meat’s juices dribble their way into the grains. Get the recipe here.

3. Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls

The Kitchn

A Tex-Mex feast usually involves keeping track of an extensive array of toppings. Not here, however. Once you’ve simmered all of the ingredients in your slow cooker, the only thing left to do is spoon it out and top with cheese. Get the recipe here.

4. Slow Cooker Rice Congee with Chicken

Food & Wine

Like grits or oatmeal, congee, the East Asian rice porridge, has a mouth-coating creaminess to it that tastes of pure comfort. The slow cooker gently teases out its starches, resulting in a consistency that’s especially silky. Get the recipe here.

5. Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Little Spice Jar

Stuck at home feeling under the weather with no one to bring you a bowl of chicken soup? This pick-me-up recipe not only uses ingredients you’ve likely already got lying around your kitchen, it’s about as easy as can be, meaning you can put your energies toward resting up and getting better while it cooks. Get the recipe here.

6. Slow Cooker Lentil and Brown Rice Tacos

Melanie Makes

This slow cooker rice and lentil filling is spiced with chili powder, paprika, and cumin, which give it just enough oomph to hold its own inside tacos and more. Get the recipe here.

7. Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo Rice Casserole

Oh Sweet Basil

Some nights call for a simple dinner that is creamy, cheesy, and starchy in all the most decadent ways. This recipe hits all those marks with ease, offering a rib-sticking take on classic chicken alfredo. Get the recipe here.

8. Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Wild Rice Soup

The Pretty Bee

Wild rice typically comes as a whole grain, meaning it requires extra cooking time to soften up its tough outer bran. The slow cooker is ideally suited for the task, transforming it into something tender with ease in this hearty vegan soup. Get the recipe here.

Miki Kawasaki is a New York City–based food writer and graduate of Boston University’s program in Gastronomy. Few things excite her more than a well-crafted sandwich or expertly spiced curry. If you ever run into her at a dinner party, make sure to hit her up for a few pieces of oddball culinary trivia.